Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire Chapter 7

Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire

Chapter 7: The Calamity of Ten Thousand Sorrows

– The girl lost her homeland.  

– She lost her purity, then her soul.  

– Locked in a basement, her days were filled with violation.  

– Those who swore to rescue her instead drowned in lust, and the girl—blessed with mana—bore countless illegitimate children for noble houses, day and night.  

– Her growing hatred became power itself.  

– When the darkness flooding the basement finally spilled into the world, the kingdom turned to ash in an instant.  

– “I wish I’d never been born……”  

– The Witch of Embers jumped from the ruins of the castle.  

– And so, her darkness was set free.  

– It would spread until the entire world was swallowed.  

***  

I walked through the dark tunnel of the Garganta.  

Looking at Sonia, still unconscious, a thought struck me anew.  

‘So this really is Pandemonium Mode.’  

If the ‘72 Dungeons of the Demon Realm’ were humanity’s conquest objectives, then the Calamities existed solely to defy them.  

Originally, there were only four Calamities—but in Pandemonium Mode, a fifth one naturally emerged.  

The Calamity of Ten Thousand Sorrows.  

If the player failed to eliminate Trisha, the dreamweaver from the first chapter, this Calamity would appear. Sonia’s existence itself became a countdown to the world’s destruction.  

……I loved this setting.  

……So much that I couldn’t stop grinning.  

‘Now, all five Calamities are gathered.’  

Talent was never something to complain about. 

Humanity still had powerful figures capable of opposing the Calamities, waiting for a chance to invade the Demon Realm.  

“Huh?! Your Majesty!”  

The moment I stepped out of the dimensional rift, Sitri pointed at me dramatically. 

The throne room was crowded—everyone had gathered for some discussion.  

Except for one person.  

“……Why is Echidna like that?”  

“Sniff… I messed up……”  

Echidna knelt in the corner, arms raised in surrender. 

A sign hung around her neck in bold letters: “I am a traitor.”  

“We were just disciplining her, but…… Your Majesty, who is that woman?”  

Like Cecilia, everyone was baffled.  

As I carried Sonia toward the throne, their stares followed like meerkats.  

‘At least they’re not trying to kill her on sight.’  

I calmly sat on the throne, peeling a clove of garlic while thinking.  

Alright, how do I convince them?  

“…Your Majesty. An explanation would be appreciated.”  

“Uuu! Explain, Your Majesty! Explain!”  

As expected, the two sisters protested fiercely. 

Their hostility was so palpable it felt like they might incinerate Sonia on the spot. 

I took a moment before speaking.  

“Listen. I have brought this human—”  

“Your Majesty, that is unacceptable.”  

“Exactly! Making some lowborn human the Empress?! If that’s the case, even sister would be a better choice!”  

Suddenly, Cecilia and Sitri locked eyes.  

For once, they were in agreement—and ferociously so.  

“No. This girl is—”  

“Don’t tell me you’ve already slept with her?”  

“Wait, seriously?! Your Majesty cheated on me?!”  

Sitri abruptly collapsed to the floor.  

I chewed my garlic, trying to make sense of the situation. 

This didn’t seem to be about bringing a human into the ranks.  

‘The black lingerie is a bit much, though.’  

“Hey! Get up! Whose lap are you sleeping on?!”  

Enraged, Sitri began roughly pinching Sonia’s cheeks. 

Surprisingly, it worked.  

“Mmm…?”  

Sonia’s eyes fluttered open. 

After blinking dazedly at Sitri, she jolted upright.  

“Some plain, lowly girl like this…”  

The red-eyed vampire scrutinized her up and down.  

“Right?! My chest is way more voluptuous!”  

The succubus flapped her bloodstained wings indignantly.  

“Greetings, human. You may call me Endy.”  

The skull-headed knight bowed politely.  

“Ah… it was a dream.”  

Sonia, now convinced, swayed slightly—then collapsed back onto my lap.  

Sitri, her horns flaring, growled like a feral beast.  

“Your Majesty… don’t tell me you formed a contract with her?”  

It was Cecilia who finally pieced it together.  

Sonia had remained composed while looking at them, something impossible for a normal human.  

Meaning, Sonia was no longer human.  

Though her blood remained, her soul had already become that of a half-demon.  

“So, while I was away, you took another vassal besides me?”  

“…I don’t understand. Why would Your Majesty go to such lengths? Is she worth it?”  

I chose my words carefully. 

Truthfully, even I didn’t fully understand the origin of the Witch of Embers’ power.  

In the original story, she was merely described as “blessed with mana.”  

More importantly, the Witch of Embers had killed herself the moment she escaped the basement, players never even got to face her.  

All I could do was speculate.  

The Calamity of Ten Thousand Sorrows wasn’t her—it was the embodiment of her hatred after death.  

Even with 300 years of arcane knowledge, I couldn’t comprehend that phenomenon. 

There was only one explanation.

A miracle wrought by words and thought.  

What humans called a Saintess.  

Of course, that alone wouldn’t convince Cecilia.  

“You once said you trusted me, did you not?”  

“Of course. I am always prepared to follow Your Majesty’s will. But—”  

“I trust this human.”  

“……”  

“Trust her because I do.”  

Cecilia was a demon who had lived a thousand years. As the empire’s de facto chancellor, she had accelerated its unification by a century.  

But even she couldn’t foresee the future. 

The original Witch of Embers had been a rough gem, how she was polished would determine her worth.  

And…  

‘If this world’s ending is the same as the one I know, Sonia must stay with us.’  

Because Pandemonium Mode is unbeatable.  

That damn mode was never designed to be cleared in the first place.  

“…If Your Majesty insists, I have no choice.”  

“Old hag. Are we done here?”  

“……”  

“Then it’s my turn.”  

The skull-headed knight marched forward.  

Why is he like this all of a sudden?  

Just in case, I discreetly hid my peeled garlic in a dimensional pocket.  

“I have a request! Next time you go to the human continent, take me with you!”  

“No.”  

“Okay!”  

With that, Endymion U-turned back to his spot. 

Seizing the moment, I recalled Echidna from her corner punishment.  

Now, time to work.  

“Since everyone’s here, let’s not drag this out. I’m sending envoys to the human kingdoms—starting with the nearest ones.”  

My declaration sparked reactions.  

Cecilia was the first to speak.  

“The diplomatic relations you mentioned before?”  

“Correct.”  

Though skeptical, Cecilia knew my decision was final. 

In an era where the Hero had appeared, unprovoked aggression would be disadvantageous.  

Not that we needed justification, but for lands we couldn’t conquer outright, establishing diplomacy was the smarter move.  

The methods varied. 

Threaten them with armies, blackmail royalty, brainwash minds, whatever it took, the result would be the same.  

Sitri piped up.  

“What if the human kingdoms refuse our envoys?”  

“Refuse their refusal. If they still refuse, we’ll send them by force. They wouldn’t dare openly reject my proposal.”  

Smiles spread across the vassals’ faces. They were already looking forward to the chaos.  

I issued orders to the Grand Dukes:  

– The Pale Lord Empire to Endymion.  

– The Medea Duchy to Echidna.  

– The Dayer Kingdom to Sitri.  

– The Lodeland Kingdom to Cecilia.  

“By any means necessary, secure diplomatic relations. If they refuse, make them accept.”  

“By Your Majesty’s will.”  

After further discussions, the meeting adjourned.  

They would return to their territories, select envoys, and scramble to uncover each kingdom’s weaknesses.  

“……”  

Silence fell in the now-empty throne room.  

I retrieved my hidden garlic.  

Just as I was about to enjoy a brief respite—  

“Your Majesty.”  

One of the vassals had secretly returned. 

I expected Sitri, but the timid footsteps belonged to Cecilia.  

“What is it?”  

“Well…… I thought you might have forgotten.”  

For a moment, I was lost—but managed to play it off.  

“……Ah, that.”  

As I stalled, Cecilia stepped closer, her expression hopeful as she awaited her ‘gift.’

‘I did forget this time.’  

This was a sort of ritual from the old days.  

Back when I was the 66th Demon Lord, Cecilia would suffer separation anxiety whenever I left the dungeon. 

To appease her, I’d bring back trinkets from the outside world, and somehow, the tradition stuck.  

Note: If I forget, she sulks for a year.  

So now, I was stuck in the awkward position of having to give her a gift.  

“……A souvenir from the human village.”  

“I thought you might’ve forgotten this time!”  

“……”  

“I’m so excited to see what it— what it iiiis…?”  

I quickly handed over the “souvenir” from my dimensional pocket and made my exit. My steps were slightly hurried.  

“Wow, I’m so happy… this is the gift……”  

I resisted the urge to look back but stole a glance at Cecilia.  

She stood there, holding an armful of garlic.  

“……”  

Our eyes met.  

“Lovely weather for an outing.”  

I quickened my pace even more.